A man’s racial slur and aggressive actions prompted a single deadly punch, which many consider self-defense. But Anthony Collins, 41, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in June and will now spend three years behind bars in a New Jersey state prison.
Collins is required to serve almost 31 months of the sentence before he is eligible for parole under the terms of the No Early Release Act.
Collins was sentenced Thursday by Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan, who accepted Collins’ guilty plea on June 10 to manslaughter in the death of Robert May, 70, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.
The fatal confrontation took place on the afternoon of September 18, 2023 in Seaside Heights, a tiny 16-by-4-block beach community on the Jersey Shore. During his plea, Collins told the judge that he and his wife had walked out of Babe’s Corner Store at 131 Sumner Ave. and was approached by May, who was on a bicycle, and May called him a racial slur.
May, who also went by “Frog,” had repeatedly harassed Collins and his children, addressing them with racial slurs for months, said defense attorney Terrence Turnback.
On that afternoon, May rode directly into Collin’s wife after they exited the store, assaulting her with his bike, Collins told Judge Ryan during his plea.
May then turned to Collins and called him n*****, which drew a single punch to his face that brought him immediately to the ground. May’s fall and the punch knocked him unconscious, and he was later found by first responders lying on the cement, with blood coming from his mouth and head.
A warrant was issued for Collins’ arrest on Oct. 4, 2023, and he turned himself in to authorities on Oct. 15. He has been in the Ocean County Jail since then.
“Mr. Collins has accepted responsibility for his conduct on September 18, 2023,” Turnbach said in a statement at the time of Collins’ plea. “He is eager to complete his period of incarceration and return to his children, his fiancé and his work.”